by Kailin Gow
“Are you sure you should be talking to me like that?” Kalina noticed, to her immense relief, that the red glow had gone out of Jaegar's eyes. The distraction must have softened the effect of the Life's Blood on him – at least for a while. “After all, I have what you want in my possession.”
“Really?” Molotov raised a dubious eyebrow. “And what is it, if I may ask, that I want...”
“Kalina, naturally...” Jaegar said lightly. “She's under my control right now, as you can plainly see, and if you harm Stuart, I'll drain her so dry that she'll be completely useless to you.”
Kalina flinched, confused. What was Jaegar doing? The Life's Blood had worn off – what kind of game was he playing at?
“And why would I care about some silly little girl?” said Molotov. “I love a good Carrier, but this one has proven to be far more trouble than she's worth. Especially with all the new half-breeds running about, ripe for the picking...”
“Because,” Jaegar's fangs began to lengthen, causing Kalina to recoil. “She's...” He lowered his mouth to Kalina's neck, pressing his fangs lightly against her skin. Trust me, Kal, he said telepathically.
Trust me. As she felt the sharp points of his teeth press so tantalizingly against her neck Kalina felt her heart began to race again. He was teasing Molotov – but he was also teasing her, his tongue lightly licking the spot where his teeth had left indentations upon the skin.
“Because she's what?” Molotov looked bored. “I'm waiting to hear what ludicrous theory you have about why I should spare some little girl...”
“Not until you let Stuart go,” said Jaegar, snapping upright.
Molotov stroked his chin. “And why would I do that, eh? I'm not stupid.”
“Because it's not Stuart you want, and you know it. You want Kalina, and no amount of pretending will convince me that you don't know her value. You have a vendetta against her...”
“If I have such a vendetta,” sneered Molotov, “why don't I just let you kill her? I always let minions handle my dirty work.”
“Because,” Kalina said, sensing what Jaegar wanted her to say. “I'm more valuable alive than dead. Alive, I can produce blood you can use to create the strongest Life's Blood vamps in the world, to create thousands of personal lieutenants to carry out your plans. Dead, on the other hand...I'm just another girl.”
“She's right,” said Jaegar. “And she doesn't even know...”
“Know what?” Molotov and Kalina said in unison.
“It's so much more than that. Her blood is strong because she's a Carrier – but that's not the only reason. She's not just any Carrier, any more than she's just any girl. She's special. And it's about time we came to grips on just how special she is. Molotov, you wouldn't want to see her die now. Without learning what it is her blood can do. After all, she found the Rubies...”
Molotov looked taken aback. “Her?”
Jaegar nodded.
“What are you talking about?” Kalina looked up at Jaegar in shock.
“It's all in the Pulse Papers,” Jaegar said. “The documents your parents kept...”
“But we never found them...” Kalina said in confusion. “That trip we took to Turkey – we went all the way from Istanbul to Kars – they weren't there...”
“But they were, Kalina...” Jaegar said. “I had to keep it from you. Remember the keeper? In Corfu I met up with him after you turned Stuart, and I left. Remember him from Turkey, Kalina? He spent his life guarding the papers which he entrusted me. He swore me to secrecy – told me not to tell you unless I had no other choice. I swore a sacred oath...”
“But why are you telling me now?”
“You need to know, Kalina. Who you are. What you are. Kalina, you're special. You're more than human. You're...you think it was just a coincidence that you were able to find that town in Mongolia? That the people in the village recognized you although you’ve never been there? That it was just luck that let you happen upon those rubies?”
“I thought that was just my Life's Blood,” Kalina said, confused. Was this part of Jaegar's plan – lying to Molotov about her? But something in Jaegar's eyes, in his fevered, fervent expression, convinced Kalina that he was telling the truth. “That my Life's Blood led me to that.”
“Oh, Kalina, it's more than that. It's so much more than that. You were able to share a common bond with Molotov – because your lineage and his are one. You have the blood of Molotov in your veins – Molotov and his maker.”
“What?” Kalina looked up, aghast. “What are you talking about? Molotov – and me?” Molotov too, for his part, looked shaken at the news.
“You're from the same lineage – a descendant of the same line that Molotov is from.”
“But...how...” Kalina looked confused. “Who is Molotov's maker...?”
Molotov reacted with shock, letting Stuart fall limply to the ground. Instantly Stuart was on his feet, rushing to Kalina's side, embracing her.
“Are you okay, Stuart?” Kalina brushed the hair out of his face.
“I'm fine,” Stuart waved away her concern. “I'm just worried about you.” He took hold of her hand and took a step away from Molotov and Jaegar, who were staring each other down with hatred in their eyes.
“I'm fine...” Kalina said, inching away from the pair of them. “But Molotov's maker...who is he...”
Molotov turned to Kalina, fixing his steely and terrifying gaze upon her. His hands began to tremble. “Do you mean to tell me...” He looked over at Jaegar, apparently shocked. “That she's...the one?”
Jaegar nodded slowly.
“The one?” Kalina looked back and forth from Molotov to Jaegar, trying desperately to make some sense of what was going on. “The one what?”
Jaegar took a deep breath, stepping forward. “The one who had the original vampire's blood in her veins. Your powers are great, Kalina. You're a mixture of so many lives – all gathered together in one extraordinary girl. You have the blood of the great doctor to whom the Consortium owes so much in your veins. And the blood of one of the oldest vampires in existence – her blood flows through you, too.”
“I don't understand,” Kalina said. “What does that mean?”
“It means...” Molotov interrupted. “That assuming nobody drains you dry, you – wretched one - are immortal.”
Kalina's mouth dropped open. Immortal?
“That can't be right...” she began, stuttering. But Jaegar and Molotov's faces were deadly serious, deadly sure.
You are immortal.
Chapter 12
Kalina looked up in shock. “What are you talking about?” Her mouth dropped open. “Me – immortal? What does that even…?”
But before she could finish her sentence, Molotov cut her off. “Quiet,” he said. His voice thundered and it seemed as if it was shaking the very trees themselves. Kalina saw his eyes, hawk-like survey the scene. Stuart was safe now – and that meant that Molotov had lost his once fail-safe, his bargaining chip. And from the red glow of anger in Molotov’s beady eyes Kalina could tell that he wasn’t interested in wasting any time negotiating. He was going to strike – and now.
Kalina tried to step back, but it was too late. Molotov rushed at her, his cloak whipping the air as he shot across the field, his hands reaching for her neck.
“Careful!” A heavy force knocked Kalina back, breathless. She stumbled to her feet and looked up. Jaegar had managed to pull both Stuart and Kalina out of the way. Molotov snarled, baring his fangs as his anger darkened the expression in his eyes.
“Hurry!” Jaegar looked down at Stuart, who was still clinging to him for life. “Kalina, use your powers – fly. I’ll take care of Stuart. And for goodness’ sake, don’t let him catch you!” His voice was breathy, filled with low urgency. Kalina could see that he was struggling not only against his fear of Molotov, but also against his own desire – the thrill of the chase, the adrenaline coursing through him, was having its effect. “Keep up with me,” he breathed hoarsely. “H
urry!” In an instant he was in the sky, sailing through the clouds. Kalina struggled to keep up with him, trying to calm her mind and focus on gliding through the clouds, but her heartbeat and her fear held her back, and she began to drop.
“No!” Jaegar shouted, reaching out a hand and pulling her up. Stuart was on Jaegar’s back, wrapping his arms around his chest, struggling to hold on.
“I got it…” Kalina wrested her hand away. “Don’t let me slow you down – we have to fly separately. You’re already carrying Stuart…” The sky and sea were the same shade of blue, and as she looked down all she could see was that endless azure expanse stretching out in all directions, punctured only by the mountains reaching skywards from the island. For a moment Kalina stopped, in awe at the beauty of her surroundings. But the sound of Molotov whipping through the air brought her back to consciousness, and she began to fly faster.
“I’ve got you now, my pretty!” Kalina screamed, but it was too late. Molotov had wrapped a single long, sinewy hand around her ankles, pulling her down towards him. She jerked through the sky, feeling gravity take hold.
“Jaegar, help!” She looked up at the sky, scanning it for signs of that dark figure. He was small but she could just make him out in the distance. “Jaegar!” she shouted again, louder this time. But he kept on flying away.
“Don’t struggle, little girl, it’ll only make things harder.” Molotov was grinning wildly as he pulled at her ankles. Kalina kicked and thrashed furiously, using all her strength to try to throw him off, but he was too powerful for her. She looked down in horror at his hard, cruel face, at the purple bruises he was leaving on her ankles and her calves.
Jaegar! Kalina tried to contact him telepathically this time. Help me, please. I need you…I can’t fend him off by myself. Jaegar – listen!
For an instant, the figure in the sky stopped, and Kalina’s heart skipped a beat. Was he returning to help her? To save her? She struggled against Molotov’s vice grip, kicking him in the face as she tried to force her body upwards through the clouds.
But then the figure picked up speed, sailing again into the distance.
Jaegar, what are you doing? I need you…
The voice that echoed through her head was emotionless, tinged only with the faintest hint of sarcasm. Oh, I’m sure you do, Kalina.
Jaegar, what are you talking about? You have to help me – don’t you want me?
Oh, I do…Kalina heard a chilling laugh echo through her skull. Or at least – I did. But Molotov’s got you now, Kalina. You may be immortal, but a stake through my heart could turn me to dust, and I’m not interested in risking my unending life once again for some little tease…besides, I’ve got time. You’re immortal, after all. Molotov isn’t even going to try killing you – he knows as well as I do that it won’t work. You won’t die – no matter what he does to you. No matter what tortures he puts you through. Even if you try to off yourself – if you think you can’t stand it anymore, you want to end it. You’ll be stuck. Alive. He’ll play with you for as long as he wants – and then, when I’m ready, I’ll come back for you. But I don’t need to make you a priority any longer, Kal. I’ve got something to settle with my dearest brother, first. And then – if you’re not too damaged by then – I’ll see if I can’t do something worse to you than even Molotov can think up in that twisted little mind of his.
“No…” Kalina whispered aloud, feeling her heart sink. “No!” Life’s Blood had taken hold of Jaegar again, overpowering him, destroying all that was beautiful and good in him and leaving in its place this…creature. This monster. Was that what Jaegar really thought of her, she wondered, her body surrendering to the pain she felt in her heart? Did deep down, in that animal part of himself she feared that the Life’s Blood had unleashed, Jaegar hate her as violently as he seemed to?
And Stuart! What did Jaegar have planned for him? Kalina’s heart began to beat faster – her greatest fear, and Stuart’s, was that Stuart could be turned back into a vampire, forced to live again in that eternal hell from which he had only just escaped. She had to stop him – she had to find Stuart – she had to…
“Don’t think you’ll get away from me, missy,” said Molotov, his voice low and dripping with disdain. “I’ve got you right where I want you.”
Kalina tried to concentrate on flying, tried to harness her strength and that of the Life’s Blood, but she could not. Her mind was racing; her whole body was on fire with the pain of Jaegar’s words and her own fear. Her body refused to obey her; she tried to make it fly but instead it seemed weak, disobedient, succumbing to Molotov’s power.
“No!” Kalina cried out again. She wouldn’t let her pain, her anger take control of her. She had to stay strong. She had to escape. With a single sharp, harsh movement she kicked down as hard as she could onto Molotov’s face, trying desperately to dislodge him from her ankles, but he held on tight, unfazed by her violence. Heavy, enormous, Molotov was pulling her down to earth; they were falling now – crashing through the trees, the branches whipping at their arms and legs. Molotov caught hold of Kalina’s waist and held on fast; Kalina screamed as the ground grew closer and closer beneath them. She could taste fear in her throat: fear that they would crash. It was too late for her to slow down, now – she’d crash to earth; they both would.
Kalina remembered what Stuart had said about vampires. They might not die – but they would still have to endure the pain. An eternity of pain. Kalina squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the agony to begin…
But nothing happened. In a single, jerking movement Molotov changed directions, hoisting her up into the sky again. Kalina breathed a sigh of relief, exhaustion flooding through her own body.
“What, you thought I’d abandon my greatest asset just like that?” Molotov was laughing now, his tone strangely jocular as he looked her up and down, his eyes hungry.
“What do you want?” Kalina asked, trying to keep her voice steady. “Where are we going?”
“Apparently you and I have a connection, little girl…” Molotov said as they flee. “It would appear that you and I share some exquisite bond of the blood. My maker’s blood flows through your veins. And I do venerate her – greatly! So I wouldn’t just waste you. I’m taking you somewhere special, Kalina. Somewhere that nobody knows about.”
His voice was almost polite. Kalina looked up at him in confusion, trying desperately to struggle free, but his grip was too strong. Kalina swallowed hard. Think, Kalina, think. Stay calm. Don’t panic. She frowned, putting on her bravest face. He’s not going to kill you. You’re valuable to him. Remember that. Make him respect you. “Tell me where we’re going,” she said again, more firmly this time.
Molotov looked at her, sheer surprise spreading across his face. “Do you really think you want to be dictating terms to me, little girl? It’s awfully bold of you to be asking me questions, you know. You’d be shaking in your little boots if you had any sense.”
“Maybe you forgot,” Kalina snarled through clenched teeth. “I’ve faced you before, remember? And won, too.” Her voice was as cold as ice.
“Do you want to play this game, Kalina? Because I’ll beat you – through and through. I turned your brother into a vampire – stole his soul. And I came pretty close to draining you, too, if I recall correctly.”
“That was before,” said Kalina. “When you were a big vampire – someone who mattered. A general. But since then I’ve decimated your armies. I’ve destroyed your minions. I’ve struck a blow, Molotov, you know that…”
“And I’ve rebuilt. Every vampire of mine you slaughtered meant that I turned another two. You think a little girl like you could possibly stop me?”
“I know I could try.” Kalina stared him down, fury in her eyes. She thought of the whole villages that had been enslaved or turned – thousands of lives, innocent lives, destroyed to satisfy Molotov’s raging bloodlust and his desire for power. She wanted to spit in his face, to claw out his eyes, to make him pay for all that he had don
e to so many innocent people. “You’re a monster,” she said, almost choking on her own words.
Maybe so.
Kalina looked up in shock. The words weren’t coming from Molotov’s lips, but from inside her head. He was communicating with her telepathically, invading her body. Kalina wanted to vomit from the sensation – the idea that Molotov could get inside her head was so horrific, so violating…
You share my maker’s blood. If you are the one…then you are the one to undo what’s done.
“What do you mean, undo what’s done…” But Molotov ignored her.
“Enough questions,” he said. “I’ll shut you up for now.” And before Kalina could protest she felt a sudden, sharp pain in her head, as if she had received a blow from behind.
“And now…” she heard, as she grew dizzy and the world grew black, “it’s time to sleep.”
Chapter 13
Kalina awoke with a throbbing pain behind her eyes. She tried to open her eyes, but everything was blurry – the slow, dull ache in her brain knocking everything off-kilter. She stretched slightly, feeling her muscles cry out for release. Where was she? The smell of jasmine was wafting through her nostrils – sickly sweet, almost overpowering. She tentatively opened one eye, feeling the pain of her headache flood through her. She swallowed hard and opened the other eye, trying to remember where she was, what had happened…